H    \   -    I /A    \A' 


GRAVEL.cHlLL  LODGE 


I' I        y,     ri;\\: 
ISAAC   W.    NASH,   PRINTCK, 


George  Washington  Flowers 
Memorial  Collection 

DUKE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 


ESTABLISHED  BY  THE 

FAMILY  OF 

COLONEL  FLOWERS 


BY-LAWS  I 

or  \ 

GRAVEL  HILL  LODGEJ 

!VU]IIBER  "2311, 

OF 


PURDT,    tenn: 
ISAAC   W.   NASH,   PRINTER, 


1861.  j 


i  < 

The  Undersigned  Committee,  appointed  to  i 
\  draft  a  Code  of  By-Laws  for  the  government  of ; 
\  GRAVEL  HILL  LODGE,  No.  232,  beg  leave  \ 
'i  respectfully  to  report  a^nd  submit  the  following  \ 

<  for  adoption.  \ 
;         AH  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted.        \ 

r  JOHN  N.  barnhill;  >  •        \ 

<  ORVALL    MEEKS,     >  Com.     i 
I  L.  M.  HUGGINS.  )  \ 


5>o5'87t 


\n-3m. 


We    the   members    of    Gravel     Hill^ 
Lodge,  No.  232,  do  ordain  and  establish  ( 
the  following  articles,  as  a  Constitutional 
code  of  By-Laws,  for  the    government   of) 
ourselves  and  successors: 

ARTICLE  I.— Meetings  of  the  Lodge. 

Sec.  1st.    The  stated  or  regular  meet- 
ings of  this  Lodge,  shall  be    on    the    first 
Saturday  in  each  month,  at   their  hall    in 
Gravel  Hill,  at  2  o'clock,   P.   M.     Also,  ^ 
on  the  anniversaries  of  St.  John  the  Bap-S 
list,  and  St.  John  the    Evansrelist,    at    10^ 
o'clock.  A,  M.  \ 

ARTICLE  U.—  Offccers  of  the  Lodged         \ 

Sec.  1.     The    Oflacers    of  the     Lodire? 
shall  be  the   Worshipful 


Master,   Senior! 


BY-LAWS  OF 


and  Junior  Wardens,  Secretary,  Treasu- 
rer, and  Tyler,  to  be  elected  by  the  Lodge 
by  ballot,  and  Senior  and  Junior  Deacons, 
to  be  appointed  by  the  Worshipful  Master 
and  S.  W.. immediately  after  the  election. 

Sec.  2.  The  W.  M.,  and  in  his  absence  | 
the  S.  W.,  and  in  the  absence  of  both,  < 
then  the  J.  W.  shall  have  power  to  con-; 
vene  the  Lodge  at  any  time  that  it  may  J 
be  deemed  necessary,  but  no  business  | 
shall  be  transacted  at  a  called  meeting 
other  than  for  which  it  was  called. 

Sec.  3.  ■  A  majority  of  all  the  votes 
given,  shall  be  required  to  constitute  an 
election.  No  member  shall  be  eligible 
to  vote  or  hold  ofiice.  unless  he  shall 
have  been  raised  to  the  sublime  degree  of 
a  Master  Mason. 

Sec.  4.     It  shall  be  the   duty   of  each 


GRAVEL  HiLL     LODGE. 


.  member  to  serve  in  the    statioa   to   which  j 

he  may  be  chosen,  unless  he  can  give  an  \ 

;  excuse  satisfactory  to  tlie  Lodge;    and  in  > 

'the  case  of  a  refusal,  he  shall  be  fined  in  { 

;  an  amount  discretionary  with  the   Lodge.  ^ 

\      Sec.  5.     The  election  of   officers    shall  < 

take  place  annually,  at  the    stated    meet- ^ 

sings  immediately  prececding the  anniver-  \ 

ssary  of  St.  John    the    Baptist,    and  they;' 

'shall     be    installed    at    the  anniversary < 

meetings  of  the  St.  John,  and.  shall  hold 

their  offices  until  the  election  aui    in^-ial-  : 

lation  of  their  successors.  s 

ARTICLE    ni.—DtUus  of  Oficcrs.  \ 

}      Sec.  1.     The  Worshipful  Muster,  \vhen| 
present;  shall  preside  at  all  meetinjjs,  and  J 
in  his  absence  the  S.  W.,  and  in   the    ab- 
.  sence  of  both  the  W.  M.  and    S.  W.,    the 
^  J.  W.  shall  preside. 


\  b  BY-LAWS  OF 

s 

> 


Sec.  2.     When  the  W.M.,  S.  W.   and 
jiJ.  W.,   are   all   absent,   the    Lodge   shall) 
^  have  power  to  elect  a  W.    M.,  pro*temJ 
J  who  shall  have  power  to  make    pro  tern  ' 
I  appointments.  > 

^  Sac.  3.  The  W.  M.  shall  have  the  By] 
\  Laws  read  in  the  Lodge  as  often  as  he  ;; 
smay  deem  necessary,  and  always  on  the  • 
■  application  of  a  member  to  him  for  that  > 
'purpose. 

\  Sec.  4,  ^It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the4 
<  Treasurer  to  report  quarterly  at  the  sta- 
:  ted  meetings  in  January,  April,  July  and  ; 
I  October,  showing  a  statement  of  the  funds  ; 
5  of  the  Lodge  in  his  hands,  together  with  \ 
\  his  receipts  and  disbursements,  on  account ; 
^  of  the  Lodge,  since  the  preceding  report,  : 
J  which  shall  be  recorded  by  the  Secretary. ;. 
\     Sec.  5.     It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the   Se-  ■ 


GRAVEL  HILL    LODGE. 


cretary  to  keep  a  record  of  all  the  pro-  ^. 
!  ceedings  of  the  Lodge,  to  collect   all  mo- 
i  nies  that  may  become  due,  pay  it  to  ihe^ 
Treasurer,  and  take   his   receipt  for   the 
^  same;  to  make  a  statement  semi-annually,; 
i;  at  the  stated  meetings   ia    January  and  .J 
]  July,  and  at  such  after  times  as   he   may 
be  called  upon,  of  his  receipts   and  dis- 
bursements to  the  Treasurer;  it  shalt  be 
his  further  duty  at  each   meeting,  before 

>  entering  upon  any  business,  to  read  the 
\  minutes  of  the  preceeding  meeting,  which 
i  shall  be  signed  by  the  Worshipful  Maste^ 
;  presiding,  and  in  consideration   of  his  s^r- 

>  vices,  he  shall  be  allowed  fifty  cents  for 
;  each  regular  meeting. 

<  Sec.  6.     The  Deacons  shall  assist  tne 

;  W.  M.  and  S.  W.  in  the  performance  of-: 

<  their  duties. 


<  8  BY-LAWS  OF  s 

r < 

j     Sec.?.    The  Steward    shall     provide ': 

,;  refreshments,  and  sliall    procure  the   ne-  ^ 

;  cessary  light,  fuel,  and  such  other  things) 

as  may  be  ordered  by    the    Lode:e,   and? 

shall  see  that  the  regalia   of   the    Lodge  J 

are  in  good  order,  and  always    ready  for  s 

use.  ■       ■  '  '  < 

Sec.   ^     The    Tyler    shall    faithfully? 

Tyle  the  Lodge,  go   on    messages,   serve  s 

summonses,  and  keep  the  Lodge  room   in  > 

!^  good  order— for  his  services  he  shall    re- 1 

ceive  the  sum  of  fifty  cents  for  each  meet-  \ 

ing.  when  found  in  the    discharge    of   his  j 

dutv.  J 


ARTICLE  IV. — Initiation  and  Membership.    } 

Sec.  1.     All    petitions    for   initiations  ^ 

shall  be  signed  by    the   party   applying,  ^^ 

and  countersigned  by  two  Master  Masons,  ^" 

members  of  this  Lodge,  and  shall  be  read  \ 


^  GRAVKL   HILL  LODGE.  9'  ; 

s  '  '  ~"  ~  ' 

^  at  a  stated  meeting  of  the  Lodge,  »t  which 
J  meeting  th^e  W.  M.  shall  appoint  a  com- 
•  mittee  of  two  to  enquire  into  the  chaiac- 
^ter  and  Situation  of  the  applicant,  which 
^committee  shall  report  at  the  next  stated 
meeting,  and  if  the  report  be  favorable, 
the  candidate  shall  be  ballotted  for  imme- 
diately, and  if  there  be  no  dissenting 
I  vote,  the  W.  M.,  shall  declare  the  candi- 
J  date  duly  elected;  but  if  there  should  oc- 
;  cur  a  dissenting  vote,  a  second  ballotting 
■shall  immediately  be  had,  and  if  there 
•should  still  occur  a  disseniwg  vote,  the 
c,  candidate  shall,  by  the  W.  M.  be  decla- 
j;  red  rejected. 

Sec.  2.  Every  petition  for  initiatioH, 
'^  shall  be  accompanied  with  the  sum  of 
;,  ten  dollars,  and  shall  pay  five  for  the 
^  second,  and  ten  for  the  third,  bub  in- case 


10  BY-LAWS  OF 


the  candidate  should  be  rejected,  thej 
brother  recommending  bim  shall  procured 
the  fee  from  the  Secretary,  and  return  the  < 
same  to  the  candidate.  \ 

Sec.  3.  Applications  for  initiation,! 
and  all  rejections  shall  be  kept  secret,? 
and  no  brother  shall  repeat  or  give  cur-  J 
rency  to  any  objection  that  may  be  made  s 
by  any  brother  to  the  admission  of  anyv 
candidate;  any  brother  so  oflfending,  shall } 
be  liable  to  reprimand,  suspension,  or  J 
expulsion,  at  the  discretion  of  the  Lodge,  \ 
and  the  petition  of  a  rejected  candidate  J 
shall  not  be  again  presented  for  initiation  | 
in  less  than  twelve  months,  unless  at  the  s 
request  of  a  member  who  voted  to  reject,  s 
and  such  request  must  be  made  in  open  J 
Lodfre.  > 


Sec.  4.     No  brother  shall  recommend 


)  GRAVEL   HILL  LODGE.  1  1  > 

s  or  vouch  for  any  person  proposing    to   pe-  s'^ 

;  tition  this  Lodge  for  initiation  or  member-  ^ 

^ship,  where  he  knows  or  believes  the   pe-  \ 

J  titioner  to  be  an  enemy  to  any  member  of  j 

Uhe  Lodge.  \ 

\     Sec.  5.    No  refreshments  except  water  '\ 

^  shall  be  used  in   the   Lodge    on  Festival  5 

{occasions,    and    in     processions — Order/' 

\  Harmony,  and  Temperance,  are  required, 

\  under  the  penalty  of  reproof,    suspension,  > 

\  or  expulsion  .  ■ 

J      Sec.  6.     Should   any   member   of  this  : 

s  Lodge  so  far  forget  the  moral  obligations  • 

that  he  has    voluntarily   brought    himself; 

under,  to  abstain  from   all  improprieties, 

as  to  become  intoxicated,  he  shall  for  the 

lirst    offense  be    reprimanded    fiom   the; 

chair,  and  if  he  shall  persist  in   so    aban-^ 

doned  a  course,  a  second  time,   he   shall,  \ 


12  BY-LAWS  OF 


J  on  motion,  be  suspended  until  he  reform,  s 
^:  Sec.  7.  Any  person  applying  for  mem-  ^ 
■  bership,  shall  be  ballotted  for  as  in  the  \ 
•case  of  a  candidate  for  initiation,  and  if^ 
;;  the  candidate  is  elected,  he  shall  pay  the  ) 
;  Secretary  the  fee  of  one  dollar.  S 

s  ARTICLE  V, — Dues,  Expulsion  and  Susp^n.  ;< 
Sec.  1 .     Every  member  except  those  | 
exempted,  s-hall  pay  annually,  the  sum  of^^ 
;;  two  dollars,  to  be  paid  to    the   Secretary^ 
/quarterly,  at  the  stated  meetings   in  Jan- 
uary, April;  July  and  October.  > 
Sec.  2.     Any   brother  whose    conduct  j 
shall  be  unniasonic,    and    who    shall    re-l 
fuse  to  reform  upon  reproof,  or  reprimand, ;- 
sh-dW  by  the  vote  of  the  majority  present,  ^^ 
;  be  expelled  or  suspended  during  the  plea-  / 
ssure  of  the  Lodge.  j 
Sec.  3.     All  members  shall  be  exempt  j 
from  the  payment  of   quarterly  dues    for; 


\  GRAVEL  HILL     LODGE.  13 

©ne  year  from  the  time  of  his  initiation. 

ARTICLE  \l.— Committees. 
,  Sec.  1.  In  case  of  the  death  of  a  broth- 
;;er  Master  Mason,  who  is  a  member  of  this' 
^  Lodge,  leaving  a  widow,  the  Secretary  J 
;shallenter  her  name  upon  a  book  to  be  j 
^kept  for  that  purpose,  and  it  shall  be  the  i 
\  duty  of  the  Worshipful  Master,  or  such  > 
J  brother  as  he  may  appoint,  to  call  upon  > 
i  her  from  time   to  time,  to    see    that  she  f 


^does  not  suffer — to  protect  her  from  im- 
J  position,  and  to  attend  to  any  business 
ifor  her,  which  her  sex  may  incapacitate 
Uier  from  transacting.  The  Secretary 
s  shall  in  like  manner  record  the  names  of 
;.  the  children  of  deceased  Master  Masons 
S  of  this  Lodge,  and  if  they  are  in  indigents 
j  circumstances,  such  assistance  shall  be  > 
jrendeied  them  as    their    necessities  may  ^ 


14  BY-LAWS  OF 


I  require,  until  they  .arrive  at  a  proper  age 

<  to  enter  upon  some  business,  and  be  then 
\  assisted  in  obtaining  proper  situations. 

\      Sec.  2.     The   Officers   of  this   Lodge 

<  shall  be  a  Standing  Committee  in  its  re- 
s  cess,  to  take  cognizance  of  the    misbeha- 

>  vior  of  its  members  out  of  the  JLodge, 
\  and  report  accordingly,  at  its  next  stated 
J  meeting:  to  hear  andsettle  disputes  be- 
^tween  its  members,  thereby  cementing 
Hhe  Harmony  and  Brotherly  Love,  "which 
I  ought  to  pervade  the  craft.  To  receive 
s  applications 'for  charity/ and  as  often  as 
?  they  think  prudent,  to    afford    a   helping 

>  hand  to  the  needy  and  distressed  Mason, 
\  whose  merit  and  necessity  entitle  him  to 
^relief,  and  said  Committee  are  hereby  au- 
\  thorizedto  draw  on  the  Treasurer  for  the 

J  aforesaid,  provided  such   draft  shall  not; 

<  exceed  the  sum  of  five  dollars  for  each 
\  applicant. 


GRAVEL  HILL    LODGE.  15 


gnks  0f  ftto. 


SeC.  1.  The  Worshipful  Master  may; 
j  speak  on  points  of  order  in  preference  to' 
s  other  members,  and  decide  all  questions' 
jof  order,  subject,  however,  to  an  appeal  J 
J  to  the  Lodge,  from  such  decision,  upon  a  \ 
J  second  motion.  ) 

\     Sec.  2.     When    a    member     rises    to  | 

speak,  he   shall  respectfully   address  ib€> 

Worshipful  Master.  \ 

Sec.  3.     I»Jo  member  shall  speak   more  \ 

than  twice   upon    any    question   without 

leave  of  the  Lodge,  nor  more  than  once, 

without  every  member  wishing,  to    speak  \ 

J  shall  have  been  heard.  .  J 

\     Sec.  4.     Every  motion  shall    be   redu-J 

J  6ed  to  writing  before  debate,  at  the   re«  \ 

\  quest  of  a  member.  ; 

\     Sec.  6.     When  a  question  is  under  con-  \ 

\  sideration  no  motion  shall  be  received  un-  \ 

\  less  to  amend,  correct,  postpone,  call  off,  \ 

\  or  close.  ,      •  .  . 


^J6  RULES  OF  ORDER. 


\     Sec.  6.     AVhen  the  Lodge  shall   have 
fbeeii  opened,  and  the  minutes  of  the  pre- 
■'ceeding  meeting  read,  approved  and  sign- 
;ed,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  W.   M.   to: 
;  to  call  for. — 1st.  Petitions.' — 2d.  Reports; 
]  from  select  committees. — 3d.  for  Motions, 
j     Sec.  7.     On  amotion  to  close  or  call 
loff,  there  shall  be  no  debate, 
>     Sec.  8.     All  Committees  shall   be  ap- 

<  pointed  by  the  Worshipful  Master. 

i  Sec.  9.  Select  Committees  shall  re- 
;;  port  at  the  time  required  by  the  order  ap- 
J  pointing  them,  unless  for  good  reason 
f  the  Lodge  excuse  them. 
]     Sec.  10.     All  Committees  shall   report 

<  in  writing. 

ARTICLE  Vlll.—Jimendments. 
■.      Sec.  1.     These  By-Laws  shall  be  sub- 

<  ject  to  amendments  at  any  stated  meeting, 
/  by  the  action  oftwo  thirds  of  the  members. 
\     Sec.  2.     Each  member  and   brother  at 

<  his  admission  or  raising  shall  be  present- 
\  ed  with  a  copy  of  these  By-Laws. 


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'f^-' 


